Know the difference - what is N-gauge?

American and European N-gauge uses models based on the 1:160 ratio scale, making them slightly smaller than their UK counterparts, which are based on 1:148 scale.

I have heard some mention that 1:144 is also used for N-gauge scaling, and was originally informed that this was the scale of US N-gauge, but products found online do not seem to support this.

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N-gauge Rail Models

N-gauge railway models have two distinct sizes depending on where you buy them. There are two distinct zones from which these two sizes appear and outside of those known zones, railway modellers will need to check the model scale and track gauge when buying. Wargamers should have less worries as normally such kits would be used as static displays rather than running layouts.

European and US N-gauge uses models based on the 1:160 ratio scale, making them slightly smaller than their UK counterparts, which are based on 1:148 scale. I have heard some mention that 1:144 is also used for N-gauge scaling, and was originally informed that this is the scale of US N-gauge, but products found online do not seem to support this.

As 12mm (1:160) is not a popular wargaming scale, the likelihood of having size-match issues with N-gauge, for wargamers, is low.

However, 1:144 gaming seems to be gaining popularity due to the proliferation of plastic kits in the scale, especially offerings from Chinese and Japanese ready-painted-model producers of WW2 vehicles and aircraft. It’s possible therefore that in future, gamers will need to be more aware of the vagaries of N-gauge railway models.